


Never Just Friends

by themanoutoftime



Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV)
Genre: Angst, Best Friends, Cute, F/F, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff, Growing Up, Heartbreak, Love, M/M, backstabbing best friend, best friends turned lovers turned not
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-09
Updated: 2020-12-09
Packaged: 2021-03-10 06:47:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27979830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/themanoutoftime/pseuds/themanoutoftime
Summary: The group grows together, navigating the highs and lows of growing up, relationships and heartbreak.juke relationship based, but it is a whole group fic<3
Relationships: Alex & Willie (Julie and The Phantoms), Alex/Willie (Julie and The Phantoms), Flynn/Carrie Wilson, Julie Molina & Luke Patterson, Julie Molina/Luke Patterson, Luke Patterson (Julie and The Phantoms)/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 31





	1. prologue

**Author's Note:**

> hi! these first few chapters are a mess whilst i was tryna find the footing, but i hope you enjoy, ive already written most of it so will do 1 or 2 chapters every few days, not sure if its guna be a happy ending or not yet, but i hope you enjoy<3

Frenemies. 

That’s what Luke had always called them for as long as Julie could remember, but what did it mean? Friends that were enemies of course, but it was always different with them. Were they friends? Best friends? Enemies? Of course, they never actually hated each other, that’s why everything was so confusing. They were so young, but it was so obvious looking back that they were supposed to be together, but would either of them ever know it? Would they even end up together eventually? Who knows? 

They eventually grew out of being frenemies, Julie much before Luke, but he did eventually. She knew what she wanted, but he always knew what he wanted, too scared to tell anyone, too scared to let her know. 

Both of them knew what they wanted to do with their lives, what they wanted to do, who they wanted to be. Of course they had talked about how they would fit their lives around their partners, not knowing they were talking about each other, they would spend hours talking about how their perfect life would be, their perfect partner, describing one another but not in too much detail, scared to give it away. They had spent too much time building up their friendship to ruin it by getting together, but they both knew they wanted to be together, whether it was now or later, it would happen. 

But things.

Things always got in the way. 

Other people.

Each other.

Nerves.

Trust. 

Other things. 

It was always the same. Just circle after circle, Julie got sick of it, and she doesn’t think Luke even noticed, if she was being honest with herself. For her it had always been him, even if she didn’t know it, but for him, she thinks he knows deep down, but he’s too scared of his own emotions to realise it. 

So this, this is the story of Julie and Luke. Luke and Julie. Of how they always find their way back to one another, until maybe they don’t.


	2. lower school

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> sunset curve is born!
> 
> intros and growing together through lower school

The first day of kindergarten. Julie and Flynn were beyond excited, as much as 5-year olds could be anyway. Flynn was dressed like a tiny influencer, braided hair, dungarees with a cheetah print mesh shirt on underneath, and of course, her massive pink docs, it’s all she ever wore on her feet, she even got Julie a matching pair. Julie was not as stylish as her best friend, she had a blue top with stars on and a big poufy skirt on, as well as matching fairy wings and matching docs with Flynn. She had her hair in a bun with butterfly clips in, her favourite. 

The girls walked into their class and made instant friends with a short blonde-haired boy called Alex. He carried drumsticks with him everywhere he went, he loved pink, and he wanted to be a drummer, that was everything Julie found out about him, he was a nervous talker too she found out very quickly when he started firing facts about himself at her, hoping to make friends he said. 

“we’re best friends now, is that okay?” Julie said to him, dragging him along arm in arm.

“yes, I would love that, I don’t really have any friends, apart from one but he goes to another school, his name is Luke, he is small, has brown hair, we are forming a band.” He said back so fast Julie could hardly understand.

“okay, Alex, you don’t need to be so scared of me, like I said, best friends now, and no take backsies, now let’s go introduce you to Flynn.”

Alex instantly relaxed and Julie smiled at him with the biggest smile he had ever seen. 

I like this girl. He thought to himself. 

First grade rolled around pretty quickly, and Julie, Alex and Flynn were inseparable, they were excited to be in the same class again, and Alex’s friend Luke was even moving to their school. They were so excited, the 3 of them had a sleepover at Julies so that they could all walk to school together, and they walked with her new neighbour Reggie, who had moved into the neighbourhood recently, they had a few playdates over the summer, and him and Alex were getting along really well, he even joined their band. Reggie wasn’t in their class, but he was in Luke’s class, so they knew he wouldn’t be alone. 

When they got to school they noticed all the other kids from other kindergartens, and the older kids, and they were all terrified, but Julie decided to put on a brave face and take the lead. She had come dressed in her wings and skirt, her favourite outfit, and she didn’t care that the other kids dressed differently, she was proud. At recess kids started picking on Julie for her wings and kids started laughing at her and she could feel tears pooling in her eyes when a small brunette boy came over and started shouting at people. 

“LEAVE HER ALONE OR I SWEAR YOU’LL REGRET IT!”

People started walking away from this tiny boy screaming and getting in everyone’s faces, dressed like a tiny rock star in a sleeveless top and chains hanging from his trousers. 

“um.. are you okay? My name’s Luke” 

Julie looked at him in shock with tears streaming down her face, when out of no where she sees Alex take down the boy called Luke. 

“DUDEEE! You totally just saved my girl Jules, my bestie, my numero uno, my gal pal-”

“yeah ok I get it I get it, calm down man.” He replied grinning. “so this is the famous Julie Molina I’ve heard so much about?”

Julie was blushing but she instantly threw herself at Luke and gave him a hug, although she didn’t say anything, this was her way of saying thank you. 

Lower school flew by, and they were soon getting ready to go to middle school. The group of three they started with slowly grew to five. Julie, Flynn, Alex, Reggie, and Luke. The boys had finally come up with a name for their band. 

Sunset Curve.

Flynn was their manager, and Julie was their biggest fan. They had asked her to join, but she refused to sing in front of people, or to join a band with Luke. They were an odd pair. Julie always thought Luke had a crush on her because he was always chasing her around the playground, pulling her hair, throwing stuff at her and always pulling faces at her, and her tia always told her, when a boy is mean to you it means he likes you. Although he was mean to her, he always protected her from bullies, because only he was allowed to be mean to her, that’s what he said anyway.

It was the end of their lower school lives, and they were about to become different people, but luckily Julie and Flynn were in the same class, Luke was in their class too. Both girls knew Luke had some growing up to do before they would take him seriously, because yes, 10-year olds shouldn’t be pulling girls hair or chasing them around anymore. 5th grade was a big deal, and Julie and Luke love/hate each other, or as Luke called them, frenemies. Middle school was always where people ‘found themselves’ as Julie always said, she was so excited. 

Over the summer Julie had barely seen anyone. Flynn went to camp and met two girls that were going to be in their class, and Flynn said she even had a crush on one of them. Reggie had gone to his uncles on the other side of the country, Luke went to music camp, and Alex styed home, so they hung out a lot. 

“you know, Flynn’s got a crush on one of the new girls in our class, I think her name’s Carrie.” 

Alex shot up off the bed. 

“no way! Is she cute? What’s her style like? What does she look like?”

“I know was much as you idiot!” she said shoving him onto the floor. “she’s only been texting me I haven’t seen her” 

“yeah that makes sense.”

It goes silent for a while until Alex worked up courage to talk again.

“Jules, did you know she was…”

“no, but I also think that I did, like she never said anything, but I could just tell, like she gives great boy advice and she has said that she thinks girls are cute when we’re out at the shops, I never thought anything of it though, you know? I am so happy for her though, I think she likes her back, I’m not sure.” 

“oh, so you don’t have a problem with her being gay then?” 

“I think she might be into girls and boys; cause remember she dated that Nick guy Reggie is friends with?”

“oh yeah, he’s super cute.” 

“he’s okay, I mean he’s not my type.”

“yeah cause you’re more into, hmm I don’t know, brunettes, that might play guitar, and who sing.”

Julie blushes and jumps on Alex, wrestling him to the ground.

“OKAY, OKAY I TAKE IT BACK, I TAKE IT BACK!!!!” he screams.

“good, no more then. It is the first day tomorrow and I’d hate for you to go in with a black eye.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so i dont really know how american schools are so sorry if its a bit messy!


	3. middle school mishaps

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the group grows apart and comes back together, and have the perfect end to 8th grade

First day of 5th grade, all five of them were excited to get the bus together, they were hoping they’d be able to save each other seats, but just to be safe they sat with who they got on the bus with. Julie and Reggie, Flynn and Alex, then Luke lived further away so he was getting a different bus there.

As soon as they got into class Flynn introduced Julie to Kayla and Carrie. Flynn and Carrie were basically glued to one another all day, so Julie, as much as she hated, tried to make small talk with Carries friend. 

“hey, so you were at camp with them all summer, how was that?” 

Kayla looking delighted that Julie was talking to her replied in so much detail, Julie knew she was going to like this girl. 

“yeah it was great, me and Care have been besties since kindergarten, like you and Flynn, and Flynn was in our dorm and Carrie wouldn’t shut up about how cute she was, so I told Flynn and they have been nearly inseparable since.”

“yeah I see that I’m happy for my gal, well our gals I suppose” Julie said, linking Kayla’s arm. “I think we’re guna be best friends you know” 

“me too girl, me too.”

Throughout the year Flynn and Carrie got closer, although they weren’t dating as such, Julie and Kayla became best friends, they would talk about boys, and clothes, and sing together. Alex became instant besties with both girls, and although he was still close with Luke and Reggie, they didn’t get him as much as the girls did, so it became Julie, Kayla and Alex, the inseparable trio. 

Quicker than they knew it 6th grade came around and things stayed relatively the same, the band got to play in school assemblies sometimes, and Carrie had her own dance group called Dirty Candy. It was Carrie, Julie, Kayla and two other girls Julie didn’t know that well, but sometimes Alex joined in because he could never resist a good dance. Reggie had a crush on Flynn, and no one had the heart to tell him about Carrie, so she had to let him down gently, and he moved on to another girl, then the next, and the next, he was a lady’s man to say the least. 

Things with Julie and Luke were weird they didn’t talk much even though they had the same friends, he ignored her a lot, so she ignored him, the band didn’t hang out as much, everyone kind of drifted apart. Julie, Alex and Kayla stayed together, Flynn and Carrie were always together, and Reggie and Luke were always together, they made new friends with Nick, and the football team, Luke even started playing, and Julie thought he looked cute in his jersey, but she would never tell anyone that. 

In 7th grade they didn’t talk much, but they all became quite close again when Julie’s mom got sick, they all wanted to be there for Jules, and didn’t realise how much they had drifted apart. Luke was there for her the most, even when her mom got better, he would bring her cookies, write songs with her, constantly text her and check on her. Julie’s little brother Carlos did not approve of Luke and said he wore ‘scary clothing’, he even tried to give Luke ‘the scary brother talk’, so Luke started bringing Carlos baked goods as well, and explained to him that him and Jules were just best friends.

“hmm.. I’m not sure if I believe you, I mean you are bribing me with baked goods after all.” Carlos said, standing on the kitchen countertop so he’d be taller than Luke. 

“Carlos, buddy, we are just best friends okay? Julie is gross, not my kind of girl, because girls are gross”

“girls are gross, but you can’t tell Julie that” he said whispering into Luke’s ear.

“of course not!” Luke said in response, fist bumping Carlos on his way out.

Of course, Carlos didn’t believe they were just friends, he was 8 years old and even he had more sense than Luke did, but was he trying to convince Carlos they were just friends or himself? He wasn’t sure anymore, I mean of course they were best friends, but things had changed between them recently, he missed her when she was off school sick and it was only one day, and she was texting him the whole day she was off, and he never uses his phone in school. They would call at night and talk for hours about nothing, sometimes they just liked to be on the phone with each other, and all their friends started to notice it as well. 8th grade was no different, they would exchange longing glances across the classroom, and blushing when the other one noticed. Julie started going to band practice more and she would just stare at Luke the whole time, sometimes he even got her to sing, which she never did, and everyone noticed. 

8th grade was the best for the group of now, seven. They were all super close again, the band was doing well, they would perform at school, and other kids in their grade even got them to play at birthday parties, Julie sometimes joined in, but she would never join the band. Carrie and Flynn were officially dating, they even had their first kiss at Julie’s Christmas movie night when Carrie had gotten them matching chokers Flynn grabbed her and kissed right in front of everyone and everyone cheered. Carrie blushed and batted everyone away, but she secretly loved it. Alex had officially come out this year as well he told everyone at his birthday party, which was a roller-skating party, it was really amazing actually, he had obviously never hidden it, but he had never said it aloud before, and even Luke cried it was so emotional. Julie and Luke were the closest out of the group, they both had crushes on each other, but they were both too oblivious to notice. 

They were all excited to start high school, only one week of middle school left, and they were all camping out in Julie’s garage at the weekend. The week flew by and next thing they knew they were all huddled up in Julie’s garage covered in blankets, with pizza, crisps, sweets and soda all over the place. Flynn and Carrie were cuddled up on the sofa with Kayla, Reggie and Alex on the other end, then Luke and Julie on the floor. 

The perfect start to summer. 

“I’m going to get some more pillows; does anybody want anything else from the house?” Julie said getting up. 

Everyone looked around at each other and then at Luke, and back up at Julie, she looked down at the boy slumped on her floor, sighed and walked away. Luke, oblivious to everything, was soon met with a massive pillow to the head.

“HEYYY, DUDE, WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR?” 

“well, the girl of your dreams, you know the one you’ve been crushing on forever, just tried to get your attention and you completely ignored her.” Alex said in his patronising voice, which Luke hated. 

“oh, Jules-” he said looking around realising she wasn’t there. “wait, where did she go?” 

“well, number one, you just admitted you like Jules, and two, she went into the house, up to her room to be exact.” Reggie said, giving his friend the worst wink, he had ever seen in his life. 

“dude you better get up there before she comes back down pissed as hell she got pied.” Flynn said in the savviest, yet very aggressive, voice he’s scared of. 

Luke looks at everyone with his mouth hanging open, confused on what to do, before he’s met with his friends shouting at him. 

“NOW PATTERSON!”  
“go now dumbass”  
“I wouldn’t make her madder than she probably is”  
“I think she means now idiot!”

Luke ran out of the garage and up the stairs to Julie’s room and barges into her walking out the door. 

“hey idiot, watch where you’re fucking going”

“ye, ahahah, sorry Jules.” He said picking up all the bedding he had just knocked out of her hands and placing them on the bed, sitting down on top of the massive pile. “you know Jules, I don’t think we’re guna need all these, I mean it is summer and your garage is boiling.” He said grabbing her hands and pulling her towards him. 

Julie blushed at the gesture and took at step towards him. 

“no, but just in case you know?”

“yes, yes miss Molina likes to be prepared for anything.” He said with a giant grin on his face, pulling Julie in closer, until their faces are so close if either of them moved, and then Julie did. She inched her face towards his until they were kissing, and their hands were in each other’s hair. Julie pulled away first and Luke went right back in for another kiss and then they were both giggling so much they had to pull away to catch their breath. 

“sooo, does this mean you’re my girlfriend now then?”

“we’ll have to see” Julie said with a wink.


	4. halloween blow ups

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> not the best start to 9th grade, everyone's trying new things but sometimes they dont work out.
> 
> but will there be a prince charming in the form of a long haired skater on the horizon for one of our characters? ;))

Highschool.   
Grade 9.   
A big deal. 

*screaming*   
“FLYNNNN GET UP HERE NOW!!!!!” Julie screamed as soon as she heard the door open. 

“Jules, I swear-”

“Flynn it’s the first day of high school, I need your fashion advice…”

“girllll, I thought the day would never come, okay step aside.” Flynn said throwing her bags on the ground and immediately going into Julie’s wardrobe. 

Straight away she pulled out a blue floral dress with a white crop top to go underneath, and a beige cord jumper, and matching Nikes. 

“Flynn.. it’s perfect, girl, how do you do that?”

“it’s a gift.” She said, brushing her hair over her shoulder, bowing for applause, which of course Julie gave. 

“do you think-”

“Jules, I swear if you ask me do I think Luke will like it, I am guna walk straight outta here.”

Julie went silent and gave Flynn a knowing nod.

“but if you were asking, then I’d say he’s guna love it, although his opinion shouldn’t matter at all.”

“I know, I know but we spent the whole summer together what if he’s sick of me?.”

“girl calm the hell down, it’s fine, that boy is crazy about you. I bet you could go into school un-showered and in your dirty pyjamas, he’d still be head over heels.”

The school was closer now, Flynn would get the bus to Julies every morning and they would walk with Reggie and meet Alex halfway there. Today was the first day. A thirty-minute walk, forty if Reggie went into the shop on the way. When they got to the front of the school, Luke was stood waiting with Carrie and Kayla, and his mouth dropped when he saw Julie in the dress Flynn picked out. 

“told ya” she whispered. 

Julie just rolled her eyes and run up to him and kissed him. It seems Carrie had the same idea running up to Flynn, except she jumped on her girlfriend and wrapped her legs around her then whispered in her ear, Julie couldn’t hear what was said but saw her best friend blush and whisper something back, so she just smiled to herself, happy that her best friend was happy. 

The seven of them walked into their new school, Kayla practically running she was so excited to try out for cheerleading, she had tried to convince Julie all summer to try out with her and she finally caved because Luke had convinced Alex to try out for football with him, tempting him with the possibility of hot boys on the team, so she decided it was only fair to cheer her boyfriend and best friend on. 

The first term of school felt like it was over before it even started. Julie, Kayla and Carrie were cheerleaders, Flynn was the school newspaper photographer, Luke, Alex and Reggie were the newest additions to the school’s football team, and they had their first game after Halloween break. Halloween was Flynn’s favourite holiday because she got to dress everyone up, and this year they were all splitting up for it, the girls off to a party with the other cheerleaders, and the boys off to a party with their team, at Nicks house. The boys still let Flynn dress them though, she made them do a runway, which Alex was very much into, Luke was not so much, but Reggie was the most into it, pulling poses, strutting like a model. Flynn was good friends with Nick, so she got the cheerleaders an invite to his party, but they were still having their own small one just for the squad beforehand. 

By the time got to the boys, everyone had been drinking and Alex was definitely pissed off his head, he was wobbling about, and ran up to the girls as soon as he saw them, nearly collapsing in front of them. 

“guys, guys, guys, hot boy, hot boy, on the football team, think he might be interested in yours trulyyyy” he said almost singing. 

Flynn and Carrie carried Alex around the party looking for the rest of their friends. Reggie was playing beer pong with Nick, and a long-haired brunette was cheering them on. He was a sophomore, and as soon as he saw Alex he ran up to him and tried to grab him.

“woah, woah, hotdog, what happened to you, I saw you not 20 minutes ago and you were fine!” 

“hey hey, who the hell are you and why are you tryna out hands on our boy?” Kayla said to this boy who must’ve been double her height. 

“woahh, hey I’m Willie, I assume you are his ‘gal pals’ he kept talking about?” 

“yeah, maybe… what’s it to you?”

“well hotdog here drank way too quickly during beer pong, puked all over my shirt then proceeded to eat 6 hot dogs, then threw those up as well, so I was looking after him and he was talking about his dream team of gals and how you’d come rescue him like his knights in shining armour, if we’re being exact” he said raising his eyebrows.

“awh, he said that about us? That’s so sweet, dude we love you” Julie said stroking Alex’s hair. “thanks for taking care of him for us, anything we can do to return the favour?”

“give him my number?” he said blushing and looking to his feet.

“yeah okay, here’s his phone, pop it in there, and we won’t tell him how he got it if you don’t? because he will surely never go outside again if he knows this is how we found him.”

“deal, thanks girls.” He said winking. “by the way I think one of your boyfriends is on the table through there.”

“Luke.” Julie said rolling her eyes.

“JULIEEEEE, BABYYYY HEYYY!!!!” he said jumping off the table screaming. 

“hey, how are you feeling? Wanna go back to mine? I don’t live far from here?”

“no, I wanna stay, I don’t wanna see you”

“what?” Julie said, tears pooling in her eyes.

“you heard me, I don’t wanna see you, not now, not ever.”

Julie’s mouth just fell open, and Flynn and Kayla were running to her side.

“THAT’S RIGHT JULIE, I WANT TO BREAK UP, I DON’T WANNA SEE YOU, I’M DONE, GOODBYE”

“Luke, what do you mean- what- what- what have I done?” 

Luke just sighed and walked off, and Julie was suddenly sprinting out of the house and up the giant hill to her house. 

The next morning Julie woke up with one text message.

Look, Jules, I’m sorry okay, I didn’t mean to make such a scene last night but it’s over, I love you, but I can’t do this. 

She didn’t even bother replying. She unadded his snapchat, unfollowed his Instagram and turned her phone off. She rolled back over into bed and just sobbed. 

“JULESSSS, COME BACK HERE DON’T MAKE ME CHASE YOU, I MEAN IT”  
“NEVER” she replied with the biggest grin on her face.  
“right, fine, don’t say I didn’t warn you”  
Luke started chasing her around the garden and she was screaming.   
“LUKEEE, STOP, OH MY GOD!!!”  
“no, I told you to come back and you decided to run into the garden”  
“well, because you’re being stupid”  
“that’s rude”  
“you know whatttt”   
Luke saw she was running towards the hose and threw himself at her but was instantly hit in the face with a blast of water, and Julie burst into a fit of laughter, chasing him around the garden with the hose until it looked like he took a shower fully clothed.  
“you know, now I’m freezing cold I’m guna need a hug to warm me up” he said chasing her round the garden again.  
“no stay away” she said dropping the hose as he tackled her to the ground, and then he was on top of her just starring into each other’s eyes.  
“I did mean it Molina, I really do love you, I know we haven’t been dating long but it goes beyond that for us.”  
She just bites her lip and nods in agreement, not wanting to break eye contact.  
“I think you’re ridiculous Patterson.. but I love you too” she said grabbing his face and kissing him. 

“Julie, Jules, wake up”

“Flynn?”

“not just me girl”

Julie sat up to Alex, Kayla and Flynn sat on her bed.

“Carrie would’ve come but she has tennis”

Julie bursts into tears and is instantly showered in hugs and love. 

“Girls, can you go get us some food from downstairs so I can have a minute with Jules?” Alex said, giving them eyeballs.

Both girls nod in agreement and go downstairs.

“Jules, listen I know he’s my best friend, but I am here for you 100% okay? I know it’s guna be really hard, but we are here for you, and Reg?”

“but, Alex- my heart- it hurts so bad” she says bursting into tears.

“I know babe, I know” he said wrapping her up in his arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im sorry my chapter summaries are terrible!! i hope youre enjoying so far, these chapters are messy i know, but the story is just getting started from here.


End file.
